Saturday, October 16, 2010

Count Lamar Odom as one of the countless NBA players that are displeased with the new technical foul rule. After he was whistled for a shooting foul on Sacramento's Carl Landry in the second quarter, Odom kept his offending arm up in the air for several seconds to indicate he believed his defense was legal and within the rule of verticality, and an official promptly issued him a technical foul. Although Odom was silent, he kept his arm up for more than three seconds. The result? A technical foul.

After the game Odom added this. "You have to zip it," Odom said. "If they call you for a tech, it's $2,000. That's a lot of money in America or anywhere. I don't want to give away $2,000 for going, 'Damn, I thought I had the ball!' or showing emotion. I want to keep my money, point blank."

He also said the rule was hypocritical.

"It's kind of crazy because that's what people love to see. You watch the commercials and the NBA has dunking, [players making] faces and 'Where Amazing Happens,'" Odom said. "Now it's like 'Where Normal Happens.' ... There's nothing amazing about not showing emotion."

I don't necessarily like the way players always complain after every whistle, but it is part of the game. I'm sure this idea looked good when they thought it up, but now you're taking the emotion out of the game. Let's see how far this rule goes before its reversed.

Purdue was thought to be a contender for the Final Four and possibly the national championship. That was before Robbie Hummel tore the ACL in the right knee in practice. The same one he tore with eight games left in last season against Minnesota. Although Hummel will be eligible to redshirt, this is another snake bitten moment for him. The Boliers will be good, but not Final Four good without him.